Improvement in knitting-machines



man@ s.

mPErERs, PHOTWUTHUGRAPHE'R, WASHINGTON. D, t:A

NFErERs, FHDTGLITHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C4

Unir'TED STATES EDwD. n. KILBoUnN, or NEW 'BRUNsWIciQ NEW Jnasnv.

Y IMPROVEMENT iN KNITTINGi-MACHINES'.

Specitication forming part of Letters Patent No. 47,829, dated May 23,1865.

To all whom it may concern.- r

Beit known that I,ED`WARD E. KILBOURN, formerly of Norfolk, in the Stateof Connectiout, now residing at New Brunswick, in the State of NewJersey, have in ven ted certain new and useful Improvements in KnittingMachinery; and I do hereby declare that the followingisa full, clear,and exactdescription of the same. r

The object of this invention is to knit stockings with facility andrapidity; but the invention is applicable to the knitting of otherarticles which require a similar mode of proceeding. Theinvention ismade up of parts, all of which conduce to the object in view, but someof which are also lapplicable to the knittingot plain goods and goodsother than stockings which vary in breadth.. 1 .The first seven parts ofthe invention have reference mainly to the construction of the mechanismfor operating a traveling needle or needles for forming the stitches, inconnection with a si ries of regular needles, more or less ot"which areused at any one time, 'according to the width ofthe fabric; and thetirst part ofthe invention consists ofthe combinationot thecarriageof atraveling needleof a knittingm'aehine with the mechanismfor moving itinsuch `manner thatit can be readilydisengaged from said mechanism topermit its movement by hand and can be readily re-engaged therewith.

The second partot the invention consists of the combination of thesliding rackor its equivalent through whose agency the patternbarrel orits equivalent operates upon the traveling needle (or upon theinstrumentalities for withdrawing or replacing the regular needies) withthe carriagel that carries that needle (or such instrumentalities)inauch manner that the said rack is moved to and fro along the series ofregular needles bythe same instrumentwhich moves said traveling needleor instrumentalities. t

The third part of the invention consists in the arrangement of themovable cam-plates of a knitting-machine (that are controlled by apattern-barrel or its equivalent) above the de. vices which they operateupon. y

The fourth part of the invention consists of the arrangement of thepattern-barrel or its equivalent in a knitting-machine above theneedle-carriage.

combination ot' a pattern-barrel of a knittingmachine'with mechanism forchanging its rellationship to the arm or other device upon which itspins operate, so that two rows of pattern-pins may bebrought into actionalternately.

The sixth part of the invention consists ot' the arrangement ot the pinsin a pattern-barrel in two helical lines commencing at opposite ends ofthe barrel, so that the pattern may be duplicated Without moving thebarrel back to enable the first pin of the row which operated last torecommence. Y

The seventh part ot the invention consists of the combination of acam-plate for restoring the withdrawn needles with a carriage by Whichit is moved along the withdrawn needles, so that the latter are restoredto their positions for Working by the movement of the carriage thatcarries the cam;

The special object of the eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh parts ofthe invention is totpermit a portion ofthe needles at work in aknitting-machine to be thrown out ot' gear with the mechanism foroperating them without removing them from the last row of stitchesformed by them, and while the residue of the vneedles continue to work,and to permit the said portion ofthe needles to be again thrown intogear with the vmechanism for operating them when required. To this endthe eighth part of lmy invention consists in the partition of theneedle-bed into divisions, each containing a portion of the needles,which divisions are so combined with the part of the machine whichcarries them that one of the divisions may bedisplaced from its normalposition to move the needles carried by it out ot' the range ofthemechanism for operating them, and may be replaced to move said needlesagain into range with said mechanism.

The ninth partot' the invention consists of the combination of aremovable division ot' the needle-bed with springs or their equivalentsfor counterbalancin g its Weight in part, so that the fabric is notstrained by the` dragging of said weight upon it.`

The tenth part of the invention consists of the combination of aremovable division of the needlefbed with a holder for holdingthenecdles in their places in the said division.

The eleventh part of the invention consists of the combination of theremovable division ofthe needle-bed with the part of the machine whichsupports it by devices which permit it to move transversely to thelength of the needle-bed, so that the needles in said divison, when notoperating, may accommodate themselves to the position of the fabricwhile knitting is proceeding upon others of the needles.

The special object of the twelfth and thirteenth parts of the inventionis to permit the width ofthe fabriclto be varied automatically in thesame machine in which a portion of the needles are thrown outofgearwhile the stitches remain upon them and while others of the needlescontinue to work; and the twelfth part consists of the combination, inthe same inachine, of one or more traveling needles with a needle-bedcomposed of divisions, one of which may be displaced from its normalposition and replaced, as above set forth.

The thirteenth part of the invention consists of the combination, in thesaine machine, ofone or more transferring-prongs (for transferringstitches from one needle to another) with a needle-bedv composed ofdivisions, as above set Iorth.

The special object of the fourteenth and tifteenth parts of theinvention is to permit the same series of needles to be employed inknitting a single strip of work or two detached strips of work. To thisend the fourteenth part ofthe invention consists of the combination of aseries of reciprocating needles with two thread-guides, one of which ismovable out of gear with the mechanism for operating it when a singlestrip of work is being knit.

`The special object ofthe fifteenth part of the invention is toperinitthe movement of the needle carriage past the instrumentalitiesfor changing the positions of the traveling needles when knitting narrowwoi k without interfering with the operation of the thread-guide; and itconsists ofthe combination of the thread-guide carriage with catchesthat connect and disconnect it with the device for imparting motion toit.

The sixteenth part of the invention consists of the combination of theneedle-carriage with two sets of bumpers for operating two threadguidesin such manner that one-of these sets may be thrown outof work when asingle threadguide is required.

The special object of the seventeenth part of the invention is to permitthe thread-guide to operate at the inner side of a division ot' theneedle-bed, which remains in place when an adjacent division has beendisplaced, without interference with the adjacent sinlters of themachine; and it consists of the combination of the said sinkers with alifter for withdraw- -ing them from the series of sinkers at worlr.

The special object of the eighteenth part of the invention is ,to permitthe yarn to be depressed upon the last needle in the series which is fedwithout depressing the th read-guide for that purpose; and it consistsin depressing the yarn by a sinker, or its equivalent for this pur-.

pose, intervening between the thread-guide and the last needle fed withyarn while the other intervening sinkers are raised.

The special object of the nineteenth .part of the invention is to gripethe yarn, when necessa-ry,without depressing the threadlguide; and itconsists of the combination of the threadguide carriage with gripingdevices that are independent of the thread-guide.

The special object of the twentieth part of the invention is to preventthe straining of the yarn at the selvage formed at the inner sideof aydivision of the needle-bed, which remains in place when an adjacentdivision is displaced;

and it consists of the combination of the neev dle-cain bar with amovable cam-block operating to withdraw one of the said needles to aless extent than the remainder. p

The special object of the twenty-first part of the invention is topermit the under supports, which move the heads of the needles to closetheir barbs,to be adjustedlaterally; and iteonsists of the combinationof their stocks with the part of the machine which holdstheni byadjustable devices in such manner that the under supports can be movedlaterally and secured inv any desired position.

The special object of the twenty-second part of the invention is topermit the under supports to be readily withdrawn from their positionsand replaced withoutdisconnecting them from the machine; and itconsistsof the combination ot' their stocks with a rock-shaft or its equivalent.

The machine represented in the accompanying drawings embodies all partsof the invenvention, and is an illustration of one form of a machine bywhich the invention may be carried into effect.

Figure 1 represents an elevation of the front side of the machine. Fig.2 represents a plan ofthe machine. Fig. 3 represents a plan ofthemachine with certain parts thereof removed. Fig. 4 represents anelevation of the hinder side of the machine. Fig. 5 represents an ele`vation of one end of the machine. Fig. 6 rep resents a partialcross-section ofthe machine, showing an end view of the needle carriage.Fig. 7 represents a partial cross-section through the center of themachine when the needle-carriage is in its central position and thecentral division of the needle-bed is lowered. Fig. 8 represents apartial cross-section ofthe needlecarriage when the central divisionofthe needie-bed is raised. Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 representviews of detached parts of the machine, referred to by letters vin thefollowing description. All of the above figures to 14, inclusive, aredrawn upon a scale of six English inches to one English foot. Fig. 15represents a front elevation of parts of one-half of the upperlongitudinal bar of the main frame, the front of which forms the cam-barfor lifting certain sinkers out of the way of the thread-guide, and

Fig. 16, a cross-section ofthe same. Fig. 17 rep-` resents a plan of aportion of the same upper longitudinal bar of the frame,which carriesthe movable cam-plates and stationary grades for operating the narrowingmechanism, the grades being at the under side of the bar, as shown indotted lines. Fig. 1S represents a rear elevation of parts of the sinker-cam bar, and Fig. 19 represents a cross-section of the same. Fig. 2Orepresents a plan of parts of the needle-cam bar, and Fig. 21 across-section through the center of the same, and Fig. 22 a horizontalsection of a part ofthe same at the line ma: of Fig. 2l.'

In the foregoing views of the cam-bars the line .fr .fr is the centerofthe machine. Fig. 23 represents a plan of one of the carriages of thetraveling needles; Fig. 24, a front elevation 'of the same, and Figs.25, 26, and 27 cross-sec tions thereof and of the parts adjacentthereto. Figs. 28, 28, 29, 29a represent side views and edge views ofthe sinkers used in the machine. Figs. 30, 30a, and 361 represent sideviews and an edge view of the intermediate needles. and Fig. 3l a sideview of a traveling needle. Figs. 15 to 3l, inclusive, are of theworking dimensions. views upon a small scale of the fabric produced bythe machine, as will be hereinafter described.

This machine is adapted to the knitting of stockings, or, more properly,of sheets of knit fabric of such form that they can be made intostockings by sewing the edges of each sheet properly together, and asthe form ofthe fabric produced and the general mode of proeeeding `willenable the description of the machine to be understood with greaterfacility, it is deemed proper to describe these before proceeding withthe description of the machine. The form of one side ot' the completestocking, when flattened sidewise, is shown at Fig. 32, and theappearance of the fabric at certain successive periods of the knittingisshown at Figs.

-to adjacent needles. From thelast-mentioned line, c c, the fabric isknit ofuniform width to the line (l d, at which the heelstrips E Eseparate from the upper piece F', which, when doubled, corresponds withthe upper part F', Fig. 32, of the foot of the finished stocking. Fromthis line the machine knits the two heelstrips E E simultaneously, whilethe knitting of the central part F', which is to form the upper piece F,is suspended, this operation being effected by dividing the needles atwork into three gangs, the side two of which continue in gear and knitthe heel-strips, while the central gang is thrown out of gear with theheel-strips are finished and thrown off the nee- Figs. 32, 33, 34, 35,and 36 represent d les the work upon the central pnrt'of the fabric F isresumed by throwing the central gangof needles thathold thelastline ofstitches again into gear, and the fabric is widened by adding theselvage-needles that formed the outside'selvages of the heel-strips tothe central gang of workers. The work proceeds on this central strip atfirst without. change of breadth, but as the needles approach the toethe work is progressive-ly narrowed until it is completed. The sheet offabric thus formed when flattened out has the form representedA at Fig.34, the edges of the central strip' F overlapping the inner edges of theheel-strips E E by an amount equal to the work wrought at each side bythe selvage-needles, (four at each selvage in the present machine.) Inorder to form the sole-piece G of the stocking, the sheet, Fig. 3,4, isthrown off the needles, `and is set up anew on the needles by placingthe two heel-strips together, as at Fig. 35, and setting the stitches attheir edges ff upon the needles,

the remainder of the sheet hanging freely downward. The work thenproceeds toward the toc ofthe stocking, the fabricbein g narrowed, whenrequired, as thevwork progresses until the solepiece is completed, asshown at Gr, Fig. 36. This completes the knit work. Then the edges a` ca c are sewed together by hand, and the edges g g are sewed to the edgesIt h, thereby making the complete. stocking.

The knitting of the yarn into the fabric above described is effected bymeans of series of needles and sinkers, which arel supported by acarriage, and are caused to traverse toand fro in front at times of onethread-guide, which delivers thread or yarn, and at times o." twothread-guides, the latter when qthe two heelstrips are being knitsimultaneously. The movements of the needles and sinkers in knitting areeffected by means ot' stationary longitudinal cam-grooves which themembers of the machine carried by the carriagetraverse in their movementto and fro.

The various operating parts of the machine are secured to a strongrectangular frame, A, which is supported by legs and holds the needlesat a sufficient distance from the door to permit the operator to tendthe machine while standing. In the upper side of this frame are two.longitudinal V-shaped grooves, a a, Figs. 2, 3, and 6, which extend lromend to end of the frame, and form ways to support anll guide `thecarriage D, that ea-rries the needles and 4 use@ mechanism for movingthem to effect the narrowing of the fabric and its widening, if wideningis to be effectetil. This needle-carriage is ca'used to move alternatelyto and fro by means which are similarI to those employed in aplaning-machine for planing metal. To this end the under side of thecarriage is fitted with a rack, F, whose teeth engage with those ot' acog-wheel, E', which is turned alternately in opposite directionsbymeans of two pulleys, P P2. One of these pulleys is secured to a shatt,B7, which is connected directly with Vthe shaft B of the cog-wheel E bymeans of a pair of cog-wheels, E2 E3, Fig. 7. The other pulley issecured to a camion-shaft, Bwhich is connected with the shaft B of thecog- `wheel E through theintervention of aconntershaft, B3, (dotted inFig. 1,) and anadditional pairot'cog-wheels, E4, (partly shown in redlines in Fig. 1,) so that, although both pulleys P P? are caused torevolve in the same direct-ion, the one causes the carriage to move fromright to left and the other from left to right. Both pulleys are drivenbythe same belt, D,which transmits motion from the pulley P3 on'thedrivingshaft B4, and the belt is shifted from one of the pulleys,P',tothe other, P2, and vice versa,when the movement of the carriage isto be reversed. The two pulleys. P P2 are separated by a loose pulley,P. In order to shift the belt, it is passed between the prongs of anoscillating belt-shipper, h, which projects from an upright rock shaft,B5, at the back of the main frame A. This rock-shaft is fitted with twoarms, H H2, which project from it in opposite directions, in positionsto have their ends acted upon by two inclined blocks,ff2, which arecarried by a horizontal slide-bar, C2; and this slide-barbas two ears, TT2, fitted with adjustable screws f3f4, whose heads are struckalternately by a bumper, M4, carried by the needle-carriage, so that asthe needle-carriage approaches each end of its lange of motion theslide-bar G2 is putin motion by the contact of the bumper of thecarriage with one of the earscrewsj'f, and the properinclined block iscaused to act upon the arm to rock the rock-shaft B5 andoscillate thebelt-shipper, therebytransterring the belt D from one pulley to theother. The bumper projects from a hub which is secured to a rock-shaft,BG, that is carriedby the nee-j dle-carriage; and as it is desirable (inorderI to save time) that the needle-carriage should traverse as small adistance as possible, this rock-shaft is iitted with two pairs ofadditional bumpers, M5 M6, projecting at different angles from the shaftand arranged to operate the slidebar C2 and transfer the belt at shorterintervals, so that when the -fabric is narrowed one or other pair ofthese additional bumpers may be brought into operation by turning therock shalt BG a part of a revolution. The movement of the rock-shaft inthe present machine is eii'ected, when necessary, by applying the handto the pin-hub (),and it is prevented from moving accidentally by aspringclick, Q2, wvhose nose engages in one of the notchesA in travelingneedles. to approach each other when the fabric is to a collar that issecured to the rock-shaft BG. The driving-shaft B4 is caused to turncontinuouslyv in the same direction by means of abelt applied to a fastpulley, P4, secured toit. This belt passes between the prongs ot' asliding belt-shipper, C5, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, which has a spring, P6,applied to it that tends to transfer the belt to a loose pulley, P5, sothat whenever the belt-shipper is free the belt is immeof full size atFigs. 3() and 301330" and 3l) have the ordinary hook-formed head, thebarb of the needle being received when depressed in a correspondinggroove, a', in the shank or stem, so that the loop of yarn on theneedle-stem can then slip freely over thehead of the needle. Theseneedles are arranged in three series, two of which are used in knittingthe selvages at thesides of the fabric, and are composed of These twoseries Iare caused be narrowed, the distance between them being alwaysjust sufficient to permit the operation of as many other needles asthere are to be stitches between the two selvages of the fabric. All theneedles ofthe machine which are not traveling selvage-needles constitutethe third series, more or less of which are brought into operationbetween the two series of sclvageneedles, according to the widthjot thespace between them, as determined by the width of the fabric being knit,while those needles of the third series which are 'not between theselvagelneedles are thrown out of gear with the mechanism foroperatingthem. mencing the leg of the stocking as many needles areemployed as are/ required to form the required number ot stitches, andthis number of needles is made up of the two series of selvage'- needlesvand of as many intermediate needles as are required to complete thenumber, the w'hole'working as yone gang. When the fabric is to benarrowed at either side the needle next within the selvage-needles atthat side is withdrawn from the fabric and the sclvage- .needles aremoved inward, so that the innermost selvage-ncedle takes the position ofthe needle withdrawn, the stitch which was upon that needle bein gtransferred automatically to the next needle. The needles which workbetween the selvage-needles (whether at work or not) will hereinafter bedesignated as intermediate77 needles, the stem of each intermediateneedle has a second groove, a2, Fig. 30h, to receive the point of thetransferrin g-pron g, hereinafter described, and each needle-stem isseln comat equal distances apart.

intermediate needles.

from 'one end of the carriage to the other.

Each of these needleslides has a snug or nib, b2, at its rear end. Eachneedle-slide has also a snug or nib, b, at a point intermediate betweenits ends, by means of which it is moved to and fro in the operation ofknitting.

These central snags, b, when the needles are operating, are received inand operated by a cam-groove formed in the lower side of the needle-cambar G, which extends from one end ofthe machine to the other, and issupported bythe end plates thereof. The form of this groove is shownoffull size in red lines in Fig. 20. The groove, after extending acertain distance from the center .r .r ot the machine, divides into twobranches, e' and e2, having a movable switch at their intersection,which can be turned to cause the snugs ofthe needle-slides to traversein either branch..

When the machine is knitting they traverse in the hinder branch, e butthe forward branch is useful to cause the needles to be projectedforward `forinspection and repair. The two branchesof the needle-camgroove are crossed by a cross-groove, e3, which permits the re'- Vmovalof bent or broken needles. and their replacement by perfect needles. Theneedles project forward from the bed in which their slides lie, and passthrough aJ corresponding series of grooves inta bar, f, which extendsalongvthe front side of the carriage and forms a nosing or series ot'orifices, into which the needles are withdrawn to cast off the loops ofyarn. The grooves of this nosing have at bottom a V form, so thatwhenthe needles are depressed they are caused to place themselves Thetraveling selva ge-needles of each series are each secured to a slide,F4, Figs. 25 and 31, which is carded bya separate carriage that ismounted between theeird plates ofthe needle-carriageand moves with itwithout changing the position thereon so long as the work producedremains of the same width; but Vwhenever the width of the fabric is tobe narrowed at one edge the sel- Vvage-needle 'carriage appertaining tothat side is moved upon the needle-carriage so as to change the positionof the selvagge-needles carried by it. As the fabric to be made in thepresent machine must be narrowed at both edges, two selvage-needlecarriages, B, are provided, and each carriage holds four selvageneedles,whose stems are bent downward, so.

that the heads ofthe selvage-needles and the parts of their stemsimmediately back of their heads project in the same plane and to thesame extent as the corresponding parts of the Each selvage needle slidehas a sling, b4, formed upon it, which is received in a groove, e,formed in the upper side ofthe needle-cani bar Gr, and shown offull sizeat Fig. 20, so that as the selvage-needle adjacent needles.

carriages are carried along with the needle-v carriage theselvage-needles are caused by the oblique portions of the cam-groove tomove while knittingtransversely to the length of the needle-carriage inthe same manner as theiutermediate needles.

' A second block ot'metal, g, Figs. 2 and 7, is supported at the frontside of the needle-carriage by a bar secured to the end plates thereof.This block has a series of grooves formed in it similar to those of theneedle-bed, to receive'and guide the shanks or slides of the sinkers,which are represented of the full size at Figs. 28 and 29. Below thissinker-bed there is a bar, e, Figs. 1 and 7, which extends from one endplate of the needle-carriage to the other, overlaps the nosing fromwhich the needles protrude, and forms the bar against the lower side ofwhich the barbs of the needles are pressed by the action of supports F Fbeneath to close them, so that when the needles are drawn into theorifices of the nosing they may pass through and lcast eff the loopsalready formed. Each sinker-slide has a'snug, c, upon it, which isreceived in a cam-groove formed in the inner face of the sinker-cam barH. This cam-bar, like the needle-cam bar, extends from one end of themachine to the other, and is supported by the end plates thereof. Theform of its groove is shown of the full size at Fig. 18.

The movement of the selvage-needle car- I riage in narrowing, theremoval of the inter-V mediate needles from the series at work, and theautomatic transference of the stitches in the present machine are alleffected substantially in the same manner as is described in the patentgranted to Joseph K. Kilbourn and Edward E. Kilbourn, No. 980, the 9thday'of April, A. D. 1861, L L being the two narrowing-screws, V thetransferring prong, s the rock-shaft of the transferring prong, and Ythe lever which rocks this shaft. The mechanism for imparting themotions to the members has, however, been simplified. Moreover,

as the knitting commences, with thepresent machine, at the top of theleg of the stocking, and as the width of the fabric is always changed bynarrowing, it is unnecessary in this ma chine to provide any means forwidening the fabric automatically. In the present machine, as in themachine described in the patent above referred to, each narrowingscrew Lis turned a quarter of a revolution to move the selvageneedle carriagethe space of one intermediate needle, the pitch of these screws being.four times the ,distancev between the centers of two Inr order toturneach screw a quarterofa revolution, the end ofeach, which passes throughtheA end plate of the needlecarriage, has a ratchet-wheel, R2, with fourteeth secured to it, and a vibrating'pawl, S2, is provided to act uponthese ratchet-teeth. This pawl is pivoted to an arm, L, secured to asegment ofa cog-wheel, which oscillates upon a collar surrounding theshank of the screw,

and whose teeth engage with those of a corresponding cog-wheelsecured tothe end of a shaft, L2, that is parallel with the narrowingscrew. Thisshaft L2 has a longitudinal groove rformed in it, and it is fitted witha sliding pinion, m2, which is'placed between the cheeks of a slidingblock, J', which slides to and fro upon the traverse-bars H3 and H4, theformer of which is secured to the front edges ot' the end plates of theneedle-carriage and the latter to the hinder edges thereof. pinion m3 isfitted with a feather, which slides in the groove of the shaft L2, sothat the shaft is caused to turn with the pinion, whatever be theposition of the latter. The slide-block J is perforated to permit thenarrowing-screw L to pass through it, and it has a lug, C, dependingfrom it, whicll is fitted with au adjusting-screw that is receivedbetween two lugs projecting upward from the selvageneedle carriage B, sothatwheu the slide-block is moved to and fro the selvage-needle carriageis moved correspondingly. The selvage-needle carriage is adjusted to itsproper position by turning the adjusting-screw.

In order that the slide-block J and the sel- Vage-needle carriageconnected with it may be moved by turning the screw L, a segmental nut,m, is inclosed between the side pieces of the slide-block J. This nut isconnected with a rock-shaft,s5, which passes through the slideblock, andis fitted at one side thereof with a lever, Y', controlled by aturn-catch, X. v By moving this lever forward the segment-nut m may bedisengaged from the screw L to disengage the slide-block and thecarriage of the traveling selva ge-needles from the mechanism for movingthem, so that they may be moved by hand along the needle-carriage to anydesired position, after which the lever may be moved back to re-enga gethe nutwith the screw, thereby re-engaging the carriage of theselvageneedle with the mechanism for movingit. The machine thereforeembodies the first part of the invention. The slide-block J carries asliding rack, T4, whose teeth engage with those of the sliding pinionm2, so that the movement of this rack transversely to theneedle-carriage turns the grooved shaft L2, and through it the screw L,thereby shifting the position of the selvageneedle carriage andoperating the transferring-prong, and as the slide-blockfi-s connecteddirectly, as above described, with the carriage of the travelingselvage-needles, sothat. the same screw operates both, the machineembodies the second part of the invention.

The mechanism for moving the sliding rack automatically operates uponthe same principleas /the co1 responding mechanism described in theaforesaid Patent of April 9, A. D. 1861, No. 980; but in order to embodythe third part ofthe presentinvention the movable cam-plates arearranged above the sliding racks which they operate upon, and aredepressed to operate there sliding racks, instead of being raised forthat purpose. There are two of these movable cam-plates, M2 M2, one foreach selvage- The sliding needle carriage, and each is connected by ahinged link, M2, with a stationary cam-bar, N2, which holds thestationary jaws nl", by which the racks T4 are returned to their normalpositions after being moved by the movable camplates.l Each rack is ttedwith a pin, f, which projects upward within the range ofthe movablecam-plate above it when the latter is depressed; and in order that eachcam-plate may not act upon the pin of the wrong rack one movablecam-plate is placed nearer the y front ofthe stationary bar N2 and theother nearer its rear edge, the piusf7f7,Figs. 3 and 6, of the two racksbeing placed correspondingly. These cam-plates are controlled byapatternbarrel, J2, which is arranged according to the fourth part of theinvention above'the needlecarriage D. This pattern-barrel is secured toa shaft', B9 Bl", which is .supported by two standards, N5 N2, securedto the main frame. One part,B0,'of the shat'tis formedinto ascrew, whichturns in a nut, N, that is supported by the standard N2. The nut N isheld from turning in the direction of the arrow y, Figs. 1 and 2, by apair of pins, x4, Figs. l and 2, against which a bar, Z', secured to thenut, abuts, so that when the pattern-barrel and its shaft are turned inthat direction thc screw will move through the nut and carry thepattern-barrel longitudinally. In order to embody the fifth part of theinvention, the nut NG is permitted to turn in the direction opposite tothat indieatedf by the arrow g4 a half-revolution, when its furtherturning is prevented by a second pair of pins, x5 m5, Figs. 2 and' 4,against which the bar Z of the nut then abuts. The effect of thisturning` is to shift the pattern-barrel lengthwise a distance equal tohalf the pitch of the screw Bw without turning it. The pattern-barrel isperforated with two helical li'iles of pin-holes, V V2, (each ofthe samepitch as the screw 1310,) to which pattern-pins can be applied, andthese holes are arranged in rows longitudinally with the barrel at equald-istances apart. The other part, B9, of the shaft ofthe pattern-barrelhas a longitudinal groove formed in it, and passes through a sleevewhich turns in the standard N5, and, is fitted with a feather whichengages in the groove, so that when the sleeveis turned the shaft isalso turned in whatever position endwise it may be. The sleeve is fittedwith a ratchet wheel, R2, Fig. 2, having the same number ot' teeth asthere are longitudinal rows of pin-holes in the pattern-barrel J2. Theseratchet-teeth are acted upon by a pawl, S5, that is pivoted to andvibrates with an elbow-lever, L5, which vibrates upon the sleeve as anarbor. The longer arm of the elbow-lever is connected by a rod, l, withthe end of a plate, L9, Figs. 4 and 5, which is pivoted to the mainframe, and has acam-groovein its inner face (shownin dotted lines inFig. 4) in a proper position to be entered by a pin (also shown indotted lines) secured to the needle-carriage, so that the needlecarriagein moving causes the cam-plate L9 to vibrate, and the latter by itsconnection with 47,829 l i t the elbow-lever L5 moves theratchet S5 toand fro and turns the shaft B9 B16 land patternbarrel an angulardistance equal lto the tooth of the ratchet-wheel R5 for each doublevibration of the needle-carriage. The pawl S5 is douhle-headed,'(asshown at Fig. 9,) so that it can he turned over on its pivot by the handof the attendant to cause the ratchet-wheel and pattern-barrel with itsscrew-shaft to turn in the direction opposite to the arrow yt, therebyalso reversing the longitudinal movement o f the pattern-barrel.

In order that the pattern-barrel may let down the cam-plates intopositions to act upon the pins of the racks T4 and may raise them out ofthese positions, each movable cam-plate is connected by a rod, jwith anarm, l2, secured to a rock-shaft,A2.,which is supported parallel withthe axis of `the pattern-barrel by standards secured to,` the frame ot'the machine. This rock-shaft is fitted with a third arm, l5', whichprojects over the pattern-barrel with its end in position to be raisedby pins placed in the helical line V2 of pin-holes when the``pattern-barrel is turning in the direction of the arrow yt.. Solong asholes containingpatte'rnpins in them pass under the arm l3 the rockshaftA2 does not rock to lower the movable cam-plates, and consequently theyare then prevented from acting upon their racks, and theselvage-carriages are not moved to narrow the work. When a hole withouta pin in it passes under the arm l5 it is permitted to`turn down,

and the shat't A2 rocks, thereby lowering the movable cam-plates M5 sothat they act upon the rack-pins, and the selvage-needle carriages aremoved inward to narrow the fabric. As the patternbarrel is moved b vitsratchet once for each double reciprocation of `theneedle-carriage,' andas each single reciprocation produces a row of stitches,halfas manypin-holes are made in the helical line V2 as there are to be rows ofstitches in the fabric, and pinsare placed in those holes (commencing atthe end a3, Fig. 2, of the pattern-barrel) which correspond with therows where the width of the fabric is to remain unchanged, the pinsbeing left out ot' those holes which correspond with the rows ot'stitches at which narrowing is to take place. Tile arrangement of the.pins. in the second line ot' pin-holes V commences at the opposite end,c4, Fig. 2, of thezpatternbarrel, in accordance wit-h the sixth partfofthe invention, and when one sheet of fabricis completedthe machine isstopped and the pawl S5 is turned over to reverse the movement of thepattern-barrel.` The nut N5 is also turned half round to change therelationship of the pattern-barrel to the arm I3 and bring the secondline ot' pin-holes under that arm when knitting the ueXt sheet offabric.The employment of twolines of pin-holes with the arrangement forbringing each alternately into action therefore dispenses with thenecessity of turning the pattern-barrel backward by hand to the positionwhich it occupied when the knitting of the fabric was commenced.

`driver t.

The pattern-barrel is also employed to stop the machine at any desiredtitne. The mode in which this iselfected is as follows: The rockshaft A2is fitted with a fourth arm, L10, which is connected by a rod, Z9, witha lug, LU, pro- O5 and permit the spring P5 to shift the belt to theloose pulley P5, thereby stopping ther-machine. The raising ot' the rodZ9 for thispurpose is effected by the use of pattern-pins of double theusual length, one of which is inserted in each pin-hole of the patternbarrel which corresponds' with the line of stitches at which it isdesired that the machine should stop.

The withdrawal ot' theintermetliate needles next the selvage-needles,when they are moved inward on the needle-carriage'to narrow the fabric,is effected in the same manner as it is in the machine describe-.i inthe aforesaid patent granted Joseph K. Kilbourn and Edward E. Kilbournthe 9th day of April, A. D. l86l, No. 980, P9 heilig the sliding barcarried by the selvage-needle carriage, Figs. 4, 23,7 24, 26, 27, withits block t4 and its narrowing- (Shown in dotted section lines in Fig.23.) Each sliding baris fitted with a. pin, t5, which projects downwardthrough a transverse slot. in the selvage-needle carriage into aCam-groove, G', formed in the upper surface of the needle-cam bar, sothat as the. selvageneedle carriage is carried to and fro along with theneedle carriage the sliding` bar, with its Vdriver t', is caused to movetransversely to the carriageand withdraw each i intermediate needlethatit is placed in position to act upon by the operation ot' thepattern barrel J2 and the narrowing-screw L. After each sheet of fabricis completed the selvage-needles must be moved outward to the positionsthey occupy when commencing the knitting at the top of the leg of thestocking, and the intermedia-te needles `that have been withdrawn in theprocess of narrowing thework must be restored to their positions in thegang of workers.

t The selvage needle carriages are readily moved out by hand, ashereinbefore described, when the machine is stopped, and in order thatthe withdrawn interme iate needles may be restored to their positions bythe same move. ment a wedge-shaped cam plate, t3, is secured to eachselvage-needle carriage in a position `to bear against the butts ofthewithdrawn intermediate needle-slides whi h it passes when theselvage-needle carriages are moved otitward on the needlelcarriage, thusshoving them forward among the workers.

drawn needles are therefore restored to their The withpositions forwoiking bythe movement of the carriage which carries the cam-plate t3,which carriage is in this machine the selvage-needle carriage., and thusthe machine embodies the seventh part of the invention. As this cam-Vplate is inclined, the last slides which remain in contact with it whenthe selvage-needle carriage reaches its outward position are not pushedby it to their foremost positions. 1n order to push them forward, awidening-driver, t2, is secured to the block t4 of the slide-bar P9,which is caused to push these needle-slides forward by a singlereciproeation of the needlecarriage, made after the selvage-needlecarriages have. been lnoved to their outermost places.

In order that the machine may operate when the parts are constructed ashas been described, the narrowing-screw should make three movements whennarrowing is being effected, two of these taking place while the. end ofthe needle-carriage is passing from the center of the machine toward theadjacent end-thereof, and one while it is returning from that end of themachine, the three movements together comprising' a quarter of' arevolution of the screw L. During the first of these movements the screwis turned sufficiently to-cause the transferring-prong V to enter thestitch on the needle whence it is to be transferred, and this of coursemust take place before the needle is withdrawn by the narrowingdriver.The second movement is sufoient to move the sel-Q vage-needle carriagelaterally1 the space of a needle-or, in other words, the. width of astitch-so that the innermost selvage-needle is caused to travel inwardto the next needle.`

This movement of the screw also permits the toe ofthe spring-catch w,Figs. 5 and 6, to rock back the heel of the prong into the groove of Ythe nosing, as described in said patent gratited to Joseph K. Kilbournand Edward E. Kilbourn. The third movement of the screw is sufficient torock the prong out of the stitch. This last movement must of course beeffected after the needle has been protruded through the stitch and thegroove in the nosing bythe action of the incline in the cam-groove whicheffects this movement. 'Ihetirst part of these movementsis effectedwhile thegpin of the rack T4 is passing along the grade a5, Fig. 17, ofthe movable earn-plate in the direction of the arrow applied thereto,the second while it is passing along the grade al, and the third'A whileit is passing in the direction of the ary row along the stationary graden, secured to the bar N2.

Although' the transferring-prong and the selvage-needle carriage areboth operated by' the turning of the screw L, the selvage-nee dlecarriage must not be moved inward `until the trans"erring-prong hasentered into thel stitch to be transferred from t-he intermediatev wardfrom a second rock-shaft, B12.

cured the stitch. 'This pause is produced by cam-collars -secured to thenarrowing-screw L. whose snugs operate upon inclined planes formed uponthe adjacent faces of the bearing of the screw in the end plate of theneedlecarriage, as described iu thev aforesaidv patent granted to JosephK. Kilbourn and Edward E. Kilbourn. v

In order that the knitting may cease upon the central stri p of thesheetoffabric while the heel strips are being knit, such of theintermediate needles as operate upon the central strip are thrown'out ofgear with the mechanism for operating them without withdrawing theirheads from the fabric. In order to effect thisin aecordf ance with theeighth part of the invention, the needle-bed is divided transverselyinto three divisions,XXX2,thetwosidedivisions,XX, being fixed to theneedle-carriage, and the central division, X2, being movable thereon.lThe central division is fitted at its hinder side with a pair of ears,which are traversed by a shaft,

B1", that is supported in slotted bearings NBNB,

secured to the needle -carriage, so that the hinder side of the centraldivision of the. needle-bed maybe permitted to drop by the transversemovement of the shaft in its slotted bearings to drop the snugs of allthe needles appertaining to it simultaneously out of the camgroove whichimparts movement to them, and at the same time that the front side ofthe central division of the needle-bed may turn downward on the shaftBl" as a hinge-pin to permit the heads of the needles to descend withthe fabric as the knitting upon the heel-strips progresses. During theknitting of the leg of the stocking down to theline d d, Figs. 33 and34, this central division remains in its highestposition, as shown atFigs. 1, 4, 8, with its sutfaee at the same level with those of the sidedivisions.

It is held there by means of the arm I, which projects forward from therock-shaft BU, and is pushed up by an arm, I5, which projects back- Thetwo rock-shafts B1l B2 pass through bearin gs in the transverse platesT5 ofthe needle-carriage, and the latter, B12, is fitted at one end (onthe outer side of the adjacenttransverse plate T5) with a second arm,l,whichis connected with the bottom plate of the needle-carriage by astrong spring, S3. This second arm I6 is secured toits rock-shaft B12 atsuch an angle with the arm I5 that when the latter is holding up thecentral division of the needle-bed the end of the seeond arm is infrontof a vertical line passing through the axisof the rockshaft, sothat this shaft cannot be turned to release the central division of theneedle-bed without extending the spring, which is strong enough toprevent accidental turning. rWhen, on` the other hand,

the rock-shaft Bl2 is turned by hand to release the central division ofthe bed, as shown at Fig. 7, the end of the second arm I6 is behindthesame vertical line, and the rock-shaft is therefore held in its newposition by the saine spring.

In order th ;t the weight of thevfront part .of thecentral division ofthe needle-bed and its needles may not drag the work downward, it iscounterhalanced by springs. according to the ninth part of theinvention, in the following manner: The ends of the rock-shaft B11 ofthe arm I4v pass throughV the transverse plates T5 T5, and are fittedwith second arms I7 l1, each of which is on the outer side oftheadjacent transverse plate T5. Each of these second arms is connected bya spring, SG, with the front of the needle-carriage, so that thesesprings, acting through the rockshaft B1l and its arms 1717 I4, tend tobear up the central division of the needle-bed and counterbalance itsweight in part. In order to compensate the increase in the tension ofthe springs as they are extended,the second arms l"l I7 are set at suchan angle with the central arm, I4, as shown in the drawings, that theleverageis greatest when the central division of the bed is in itshighest position, andy decreases progressively as the springs areprogressively extended. Whenever the central division of the needle-bedis thrown out of gear its needles should be compelled to descend withit, and shouldlalso be prevented from sliding forward intheir grooves.As the heads of the needles are in the last rowr of stitches theydescend as the work upon the heel-strips progresses and bear down thefront side of the central division of the bed with them. In order tocompel the hinder ends of the needleslides to remain in their grooves,and also to prevent them from slidin g forward, the rock-sha( t B11? isprovided", according to the tenth part of the invention,with a broadhook-formed holder, H5, whose edge is of the same breadth as the centraldivision of the needle-bed, so that when the rock-shaft B11 is turnedforward this hookholder overlaps the hinder snugs ot' all theneedle-slides and holds them in their places, as shown at Fig. 7.' When.the hook-holder is notoperating it is turned back, as shown at Figs. 6and 8, and is held in that position by means of a rod, T5, (drawn indotted lines in Fig. 6,) whose hinder end is connected with an arm, I,secured to one end of the rock-shaftv B10, and whose forward end isformed into a hook,which is then engaged in an eye securedto theneedlecarriage. The rock-shaft B10 is turned forward to cause thehook-holder to opcrate by means of a spring, S4, connected with an armprojecting from the shaft, and it is permitted to turn,when required, bydisen gaging the hooked rod r? from its eye by hand.

The fabricformed by theneedles passes downward, and is connected by asheet of cloth secured to a bar, D, and by a link-rod, ravith atension-plate, D5,which is loaded with one or more removable weights,D6,to apply the proper amount of tension to thework according to its width.This tension-plate descends as the fab ric is formed, and is guided by apair ofslides,

D1, upon which the ends of the tension-plate are fitted to traverse.Thefahricasit descends must beheld back Vout of the way of certaincarriage.

needles and hangs behind the rod r6 at the time.

lat their lower outer corners, e e.

parts of the machine. This is effected by a removable rod` rfi. which isheld in place by two hook-ended spring-catohes, y5, one at each end ofthe rod, whose hooked ends are engaged in notches formed in the endplates ofthe needle` As the fabric is upon the central the centraldivision ofthe needle-bedis lowered, that division must be arranged tomove transversely to permit the stitches held hythesenee dles to remain,in the same plane with the remainder of the fabric.` This is effected bythe form of the slots of the bearings N of the shaft' B10, as shown indotted linesin Figs. 6 and 8. It will be perceived that the slotsextenda little forward'ofthe shaft when it is raised, and some distancebehind it. When, therefore, the shaft is dropped with the centraldivision ofthence- `dle-bed it is free to move transversely backward orforward, as may be required. The machine thns embodies the eleventh partof the invention.

In order that the row of stitches upon the needles of the centraldivision shall remain in the same plane with the remainder ofthe work,

the front side of the central division of the nee dle-bed is guided indescending by guide-slots dles, which are moved inward (as directed bythe pattern-barrel) to narrow the heel-strips i The inner selvages oftheheel-strips are knit by the innermost intermediate needles of each sidedivision of the needle-bed, which remains in gea-r after the dropping ofthe central division.

After the heel-strips are completed the machine is stopped, the centraldivision of the needle-bed is restored to its position, and theselvage-needle carriages are moved inward, so ,that the needles whichrecommence work upon the central strip are made up of the two sets ofselvage-needles and the needles of the ceutral division of the needlebed, four of the stitches along the inner edge of each heel-strip beingset up on the selvage-needles before recommencing work. As the knittingof this part of the fabric proceeds it is narrowed, as

required, by the operation of the pattern-barrel, transferring hook,selvage needles, and their appurtenances, as before. As the machinetherefore contains traveling needles, transferring-prongs, and aneedle-bed divided into divisions, one of which is arranged to drop sothat its needles are thrown out of gear with their operating mechanismwithout being withdrawn from their stitches, while the needles of otherdivisions continue to operate, and as the traveling needles andtransferring-prongs are combined with the said needle-bed so as tocooperate with it in the production of the fabric,

the machine embodies the twelfth and thir- 1 teenth parts of theinvention. While the leg -plementary thread-guideis brought into action,

so that the gang of needles knitting each heelstrip is fed by a separatethread-guide. After the heel-strips are completed and the work isrecommenced upon the central strip the supplementary thread-guide isthrown out of gear, in accordance with the fourteenth part of'the ,Ainvention, and the gang of needles at work on f the central strip is fedbythe primary threadguide of the machine. Each thread-guide, has

` the form of a short Hattened tube, the larger axis of its ellipticcross-section being horizontal. The shank of the primary thread-guide Jis secured to a carriage, It, which slides longitudinally on wayssecured to the front side of the sinker-cam bar H. The thread-guidecarriage is moved to and fro by bumpers carried by the needle-carriageand acting alternately upon the opposite sides of a snug, o, Figs. 6 and7,Secured to the` top ofthe thread-guide carriage, andas thethread-guide, to act properly, must always occupy a certain positionrelatively to the outermost selvage-needle, the bumpers which operateupon the primary thread-guide carriage (when the supplementary thread-guide carriage is notin use) are controlled by the selvage-needlecarriages, so as to move lwith the traveling selvage-needles andmaintain the thread-guide in its proper position relatively to theoutermost selvage-needle. To this end one of the bumpers, M, is madefast to one of the slide-blocks J', which is connected with one of theselvage-needle carriages. The other bumper, N,is securedto a hub whichis mounted upon a rock-shaft B13, supported by brackets on theneedle-carriage, and this hub is received between a pair of cheekssecured to the other slide-block J', which is connected with the otherselva ge-needle carriage, so that when the latter is moved .the bumperis caused to move with it and slide along the rock-shaft.

- The hub of the bumper is titted with a feather,

which slides in a groove of the rock-shaft B13, so that when the latteris turned the bumper is turned out of range ofthe snug of the supamountof movement necessary for the purpose would carry the thread-guidebeyond the position'it should occupy when yarn is taken from it by theneedles. In order to compensate for this excess of movement of thethread-guide, provision is made in this machine for returning knits oneot the heel-strips.

it to its proper position,in accordance with the fifteenth part of'myinvention. To this end the thread-guide carriage is provided with twospring-catches, yay/7, Figs. l and 2, which engage alternately with thetwo bumpers M N, as the needle-carriage carries the thread-guidecarriage beyond its proper position for feeding yarn, and retain theirhold until the threadguide carriage is returned to thatproper position,after which the spring-catch is disengaged to permit the thread-guide toremain at rest until the needles have all passed it. In order todisengage the'catches at th proper times, two pins, m6, Figs; l, 2, and6,are fitted to slide transversely in the selvage-needle carriage, onebehind each catch, and Ia fixed cam-block, G2, with inclined ends, issecured to the top -of the sinker-cam bar H, with its end's in theproper positions to act on the pins w and force them outward against thecatches at the adjacent endsof the threadguide carriage` when they areto be detached. The supplementary thread-guide J3V is also fitted to acarriage, R', ot' the same construction as that of the primarythread-guide, and fitted, like it,with spring-catches u8 yg, to connectit with the bumpers that drive it to and fro. ofthe attendant to theendof the machine, as

shown at Figs. l and 2, where it remains at vthread-guides are inoperation each acts in connection with one of the gangs of needles thatAs the outer selvage of each heel-strip is formed by the travelingselvage-needles, the bumpers carried by them are in proper positions toplace the thread-guides for the outer edges offthe heelstrips. In orderto place the thread-guides for the inner edges thereof, and to embodythe sixteenth part of the invention, a supplementary bumper, M', issecured to the rock-shaft B13; and as the two gangs of needles whichknit the. heel-strips are separated by but la short space, and boththread-guide carriages must therefore at times be simultaneously engagedwith this bumper, it is forked, as shown at Figs. 7 and 11, so that theinner catch, y', of

the primary th read-guide may engage with one fork,and theinnercatch,y", of the'supplementary thread-guide with the other fork, andthat the two catches may not interfere with each other. As all thebumpers are connected either Adirectly with the selvage-needlecarriages, or indirectly With them by the rock-'shaft B, and as thesalvage-needle carriages are connected with and caused to traverse bythe .main needle-carriage, the bumpers are combined with the main needlecarriage, and the forked bumper M may be thrown in or out of work, asrequired, by turning the rock-shaft B13.

When not in use it is moved by the hand Thus, when the primarythread-guide alone `is operating, the supplementary forked bumper.

operate, its hub is provided with another' bumper, N', which is turnedinto position A'to operate the thread-guide carriage when -thefirst isturned out. The turning of the 'bumper rock-sh aft B13 is effectedin thepresent machine by the hand ofthe attendant when Vthecentral 1 divisionof the needle-bed israised ordropped,

and the rock-shaft `is held in either position in Vwhich it is placed`by a spring-catch, c4, `awhose end engages in one or other of twonotches formed in a collar, c3, secured `to `tfhe1rockshaft. f Inorderfthat a tight selvage maybe lformed by the machine at the outerselvage's, and 'that' the sinkers on the outer sides of the travelingselvage-needles `may not interfere `with the thread-guides, a part ofthe 4sinkersuat :each selvage are lifted substantially in the samemanneras is described in the aforesaid patent' granted to Joseph K.Kilbourn and Edward E. Kilbourn. Two liftcrs, k k, are employed:

for this purpose, (one for-each set of traveling selvage-needles,) andthey are moved bythe action of the cam-groovec5, formed in theaface ofthe cam-bar'Nz, which fcam-groove acts `upon* pins secured to theslides-Q of the `lifters. The snugs of these sinkers which are Vlift'elpass through the gates s', Fig. 18, .in the 4sin'ker-` cam grooves intothe upper middlebra-nch of the sinker-cam groove. t Y .Y In order toform vtight selvages at the inner edges of the heel-strips, the sinkers'thereat are lifted, in accordance with theses-enteenttr` part of theinvention,when the-supplementary thread-guide is brought into operation.As, however, narrowing does not take place at the inner selvages of theheel-strips, it isunnrecessary to -make provision forchanging theSinik-' ers which are raised thereat; but-.advantage isl taken of theposition `of `the bumper lrock-v shaft B13 to lift all these sinkerssimultaneously by the `same operation which changes `the bumpers. Forthis purpose'those sinkersfS, Figs. l, 2, ,4, 6, 7, 28a, 29, which `areto be thus raised are `made longer than theothers, and their upper endsarctitted with secondary snugs,-which project forward toward therockshaft B13. The latter is provided `'withl two lifting-hubs, k 7c',one for each of the sets of sinkers to be lifted, and each liftin'glhubhas a liftingtooth projecting from .itso that when the rock-shaft B13 isrocked `to place thecentral bumpers in position to act on thethreadguides the two sets of sinkers S S at theinner selvages of theheelstrips are simultaneously lifted out of the gang, and becomeinoperative until they are again lowered.

The adjustment of the machine for knitting @the `heel-strips and itsrendjnstment for resuming work on the central strip are effected while'barb thereof may not catch upon andsplit the yarn. vIn Vprecedingmachines this depression Y of the `yarn has been effected by depressingthe .thread -guide after the needles have passed 4by it. In the presentmachine it is effected, in accordance with the eighteenth part ot' theinvention, by depressing an instrniment which is not connected with theythread-guide, `and is in this instance one of the sinkers between thethread-guide and the outermost selvagge-needle, while the thread-guideisretained "at its usual level, and the other sin kers between thethread-guide and the selvage-needle are lifted,together with a suicientnumber in adtdition, to avoidconfiict with the thread-guide.

To this end the littersk k, for -lifting thesinlt- 4tersatthe selvages,are each `made broad enough tolift the sinker between the outer two sel--vage-,needles and nine sinkers outside thereof, `and each has a kerf,q, Figs. 13 13a, of sufficient width and in the proper position to per-`mit the snugl ofthe fourth sinker outside of theoutermoStselvage-needle tovpass through it, so that'this sinker is free tobedepressed by its cam-grooveonto the yarn extending to the tthread-guide, therebydepressin g the yarn upon the stemofthe outermostselvage-needle. An

yequivalent arrangementis made for the sinkerswhich are at the innerselvages of the heel- `strips by using an ordinary sinker in place ofone of the elongated sinkers, S, at the proper distance from theneedle'atthe inside selvage `ofeach heel-strip. This ordinary sinker,being withouta secondary snug, is not raised bythe `lifting-tooth whichraises the elongated sinkers ateach -side of it; hence it is depressedby the. sinker-groove uponthe yarn extending to the 'thread-guide fromthe sel-vage needle at the inthe delivery is effected by gripin g theyarn hetween jaws, one of which is formed by a ypad operated by thedescent of the thread-guide. In the present machine the thread-guidedoes not descend; hence special devices are used `for griping the yarn,in accordance with the nineteenth part of the invention.

' forms one of the griping devices, is therefore The pad j', which v tothe same extent as the others.

' secured to the lower end of an arm which projects downward from arock-shaft, b5, that is carried by the thread-guide carriage. Thisrock-shaft is fitted with a spring-arm, s6, which tends to bear the'padaway from the adjacent surl'ace of a perforated plate, j', which issecured to the thread-guide carriage, and through which the yarn ispassed, so that the pad can press against it. The pad rock-shaft b5 isalso provided with a second arm, s, which projects upward from it andbears against a slide, x7, l

. the pad-shaft b5 and causes the pad to-press upon and gripe the yarn;and the cam-blocks are of suchk length that they permit the release ot'the yarn as the thread-guide carriage moves along, when the loops areproperly formed by the needles.

The supplementary threadguide carriage R is fitted with griping deviceslike those ot' the primary carriage R, and one, G9, of the cam blocks isin a proper position for working them when the supplementarythread-guide is at one end of the gang of' needles which is fed whenknitting the heel-strip. In order to operate the griping devices whenthe supplementary thread-guide is at the other end of the gang ofneedles, a third cam-block, G10, is secured to the sinker-cam bar H in aproper position for that purpose.

As before stated, the inner selvages of the heel-strips are knit by theinnermost needles of the two side divisions ofthe needle-bed, and

as these needles are operated by the intermediate needle-cam groove,they will operate (if no change be made) in the same manner whileknitting the heel-strips as they do while knitting the interior of thesheet of fabric.

manner there is a tendency to strain the yarn. In order toobviate thistendency, the machine is constructed, according to the twentieth part ofthe invention, so that the second needle at the inner selvage of eachheel-strip is not drawn In order to effect this, the snug b of thisneedle, Fig. 30a, is notched, and a sliding cam-block, V6, Figs. 21 and22, is inserted in the needle-cam bar G. The thickness of this cam-blockis equal to halt' the depth of the needle-cam groove, and it iscontrolled by a screw, q', so that it can he drawn forward, as shown atFigs. 2l

. and 22, or set backward until its rear is as far back as the mostprotuberant part of the needle-cam groove. The sides of the grades e6 eare also grooved, so that they form two 'grades of diferent slope, theone being the regular slope and the other sloping less rapidly, so asExperience has shown that if they operate in this yto project'no fartherthan the sliding cam-block From this construci when it is set forward.tion of the snug of the needle, Fig. 30a, and of the sliding cam blockand of the camgroove it follows that when the cam-block V6 is setforward (by turning the adjustingscrew q) the projecting part of thesnngb passes along the less-sloping grade and along the rear of thecam-block V6, while the snugs ot' the other intermediate needles passalong the regular grade 6G; hence the needles, Fig. 30a, ywhich are thesecond needles at the inside selvages of the heel-strips, are not thendrawn into their nosings as far as the remainder of the intermediateneedles. When, on the other hand, the sliding cam-block`is set backhy-turning-the adjusting-screw q', as its rear is then in line with themost protuberant part of the ordinary needle-cam groove, the needles,Fig. 30e, operated by it are drawn back to the same extent asthe otherintermediate needles. The cam-block V6 is therefore moved forward byturning its screw when the central division of the needle-bed is letdown to adjust the machine for knitting the heel-strips, and when thecentral division of the needle-bed is raised the cam-block V'3 is movedback to'its place.

In order that the barbs of the needles may be closed as they draw intothe nosing in which they lie so as to pass through the stitches upon theneedle-stems, and that these stitches may be cast offas the new stitchesare drawn in by the needles, the needles are pressed up against the bare by supports Fl Fbeneath as they are carried over the upper edges ofthese supports by the reciprocation of the needlecarliage D. Each ot'these under supports is constructed in two parts, one, 7c, of which isinside of the sinkers and effects the raising of the needles, while theother part, 765, is in front of the sinkers and supports the needlesduring the feeding of yarn and the descent of the sinkers toform theloops. In previous machines such supports have'been made adjustablevertically, but no means have been employed Hto render themadjustablelaterally; hence these supports have been fitted to theirexact positions by tiling away the material. In the present machine theyare made adjustable laterally as well as vertically. The capacity toadjust vertically is provided for by passing the clampscrews z, thatsecure the supports to their stocks g4, through vertical slots It, inwhich they may be moved. The lateral adjustment is provided for, inaccordance with the twentylfirst part of the invention, by securing thestocks to a longitudinal shaft, Z4, along which they may be slid, and towhich they are made fast when in place by set-screws z5. The undersupports, when in the proper positions for operating, are much in theway when theneedles and sinkers are being adjusted. In order to enabletheln to be put out of the way and replaced with facility, in accordancewith the twenty-second part of the invention, the shaft R,to whichtheyare secured,is arranged to rock in its 'bearings b", so that theunder supports aimsee 1a to be out of the way, and can be turned backagain to the exact places which they should occupy during knitting. Inorder that they may be held in their places, the support-shaft f Z4 isfitted with an arm, Z5, Figs. l and 5, whose inside face bears againstthe face ot' oneof the longitudinal bars ofthe main frameof the machinewhen the supports `are in place for knitting, and this arm has a slotinit, which passes over a projection from the frameof the machine towhich a turning-button, g5, is affixed so that whenthe button is turnedcrosswise to the slot theshaft Z4 is prevented from turning and thesupports are held in place. When Vthey are to be turned forward thebutton is turned so that the slot in the arm will pass overit.

In knitting on this machine it is convenient to make use of a sheet ofcoarse cloth to connect `theknit fabric with the tension-plate D5. Thissheet of cloth is cut in such manner that its selvage is horizontal anduppermost, and is equal inlength with the breadth of the sheet of fabrictobeknit, or longer than that. Its lower.

edge is-sewednpon the bar D4, which is connected `by links with thetension-plate D5. A portion-say siX-of the horizontal threads `aredrawnfrom the cloth a little below the selvage, leaving a few horizontalthreadsat the sel-vage and a space below it formed by vertical threadsalone. I n commencing to knit, this piece of cloth is thrust upon theneedles, whose heads pass through between the vertical threads at thisspace, and the needle-carriage is traversed once, to cause the needlesto draw the selvage of the cloth into their barbs.

Then the needle-carriage istraversed a second time, during which a'thread of sewing-silk is fed by hand to the needles, after which theVyarn from the thread-guide is applied to the rst needle in the seriesand the machine set to work. The effect of this proceeding is that theknit fabric is connected with the sheet of cloth by the silk thread, andis readily disconnected from it by pulling out the silk thread by hand.

In the knitting of stockings coarser yarn is generally used to knit theheels than for the remainder of the stocking; hence in using the machinethree cops of yarn .are employedtwo of coarser yarn while knitting theheelstrips, and one of finer yarn While knitting the remainder of thesheet of fabric. These cops may stand upon the floor of the room, thecop of tine yarn in front of the center of the machine, and the coarsertwo at either side of it. When the fine yarn is used it is conductedthrough a stationary thread-guide, Z, to the primary thread-guidecarriage; and when the coarser yarn is used each thread of it isconducted through a lateral stationary threadguide, Z2, tothethread-guide carriage-that feeds for the heel-strip at that side of themachine.

In knitting stockings it is found convenient to arrange the pins of thepattern-barrel of some machines so as to knit the sheet of fabric lWhoseform .is represented at Fig. 34,. and to `employ these machines only fordoing this pai-t of the work. The pins of the pattern-barrels of othermachines are then arranged to knit the sole-strips G from ff to g g,Fig. 36, and these machines are employed only for doing this part of thework. This mode of conducting the work saves time in adjusting themachine, and one machine working` on solestrips can finish the workproduced by two or three of the other machines.

Althoughl the machine thus described embodies all the improvements whichconstitute the subject-matter of this patent, the invention is notlimited to such machine, as parts of the invention `may be applied withadvantage to other knitting-machines-as, for eXample,tothoseinwhichonlyapartofthemovementsofthe 'machine in knittingis effectedautomatically.

Parts of the invention may also be used without other parts thereof; noris the invention limited to a knitting-machine of the preciseconstruction of parts herein described,or to thefprecise mode ofimparting the requisite motions to parts thereof, as these may be variedas circumstances may render expedient to suit particular cases or theviews of different constructors or manufacturers, or to adapt themachineto the knitting of particular forms of fabric. Thus, for example,the central division of the needle-bed may be fixed,- and one or bothside divisions maybe arranged to drop 5 or one lateral division of theneedle-bed may be arranged to drop and the remainder to `remain fixed;or, if necessary, "the needle-bed may be divided into divisions, all ofwhich. are

arranged to drop, so that any one or more may be dropped, while theremainder are retained in their normal positions. When suchmodifications are made in the needle-bedv the other parts ofthe machinemust of course be suitably modified to correspond.

A knitting-machine constructed in the liest manner known to the inventorhaving been thus described, what is claimed as the invention to besecured by-Letters Patent isl. The combination of the carriage of atraveling needle, in a knitting-machine, with the mechanism for movingit past the other nee-- ldles ofthe machine in such manner that it canbe readily disengaged from said mechanism and -re-engaged therewith,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the instrumentality through-which the patternmechanism oper- .ates upon the traveling needle (or upon theinstrumentalities for withdrawing or replacing the regular needles) withthe carriage of said needle, (or of said instrumentalities,)substantially as set forth.

3. The arrangement of the movable camplates, in a knitting-machine,above the devices which they operate upon, substantially as set t'orth..

4. The arrangement of the pattern mechanl a knitting-machine withmechanism for changing its relationship to the device upon which itspins operate, substantially as set forth.

6. The arrangement of the pins of a patternbarrelin tWo helical linescommencing at the opposite ends of thebarrel, substantially as setforth.

set forth. t

10.- The combination ofa removable division' of the needle-bed with aneedle-holder, subf stantially as set forth.

'11. The combination of a traveling needle with aneedle-bed divided intodivisions, one of which may be displaced and replaced, subl stantiallyas set forth.

`12. The combination of a transferring-pron g with' a needle-bed dividedinto divisions, one

ot' which may 'be displaced and replaced, substantially as set forth.

- 13. The combination of a removable division v of the needle-bed withits support by devices which permit a transverse movement, substanftially as set forth.

14. The combination of a series of recipro- A eating needles with twothread-guides, one of which can be thrownoutof'gear when asinglc stripof Work is being knit, the Whole operating substantially as set forth.

15. The combination of the thread-guide carriage With catches thatconnect and disconnect it with the mechanism for imparting motion to it,substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of the needle-carriage with two sets of bumpersv foroperating two thread-guides, substantially as set forth.

17. The combination ofthe sinkers at the inner side of a division of theneedle-bed which remains in place with a lifter, substantially as setforth.

18. The depression of the yarn between-the thread-guide and the lastneedle fed With-yarn by aninstrumentality which is separate from thethread-guide and eects the depression, substantially as set forth. Y,

19. The combination of thethread'guide'carriage with devices for gripingthe yarn which are independent of the thread-guide.

20. The combination ot' the needle-cam bar with a movable cam-blockoperating to withdraw one of the needles to a less extent than theothers, substantially as set forth.

21. The combination of the under supports of the needles of aknittingmachine with devices which permit their adjustment laterally,substantially as set forth.

22. The combination ofthe stocks of the under supports with arock-shaft, substantially 'as set forth. Y

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD KILBo'URN.

Witnesses:

J AMES DAYTON, GHAs. A. LANG.

